Early signs suggest Jalon Walker will have immediate impact for Falcons

Expecting rookies to save the team in the NFL is a sure-fire way of disappointment, and the Falcons are expecting a pair of pass rushers in Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. to be significant pieces of the hopeful defensive turnaround in Atlanta.

Outside of quarterback, there aren’t many positions that are more difficult to acclimate to the NFL than edge rushers. Expecting Walker and Pearce to immediately become stars isn’t fair to how challenging the task truly is.

However, the early signs suggest that the Georgia Bulldogs product has a chance to do just that. Raheem Morris described Walker as “instant grits” that when “you just tell him something and he goes out and does it the first time every time.”

This actually isn’t that surprising. If you’ve watched Kirby Smart-coached players in the NFL, you’d know they are quintessential “football guys,” who not only live to play the game, but they’re obsessed with it.

Jalon Walker played for the best developer of talent in college football. He’s not only wildly talented physically, but it seems he’s got the mental and emotional acumen to match it. That’s a dangerous combination.

The Falcons need Walker more than what is reasonable to expect from a rookie. Not only does the team need him to be a physical presence in helping turn around the weakest facet of the Falcons’ defense, but they also need him to be a leader.

With Grady Jarrett gone, there’s a leadership void. A.J. Terrell and Jessie Bates III will fill it to a certain extent, but there has to be someone on the defensive front as well, and while Jalon Walker might not have the cache of Terrell or Bates, it might not matter.